Okay guys... I really tried not freak out this time, but its gone on too long. 3 weeks now... up a lb, down a lb, up 2 down 1. I'm going nuts.

I keep thinking that this is it.. this is as much as I can loose. Can that be possible? I'm not even "Normal" yet (BMI speaking). I'm so discouraged. I get teary when I think I'm not going to make it. I'm so thankful for the weight I've lost... but I really really want to be thin... not just a "little"overweight

I don't know what to do. I eat about 1000-1200 calories a day... mostly Protein. I do eat some complex carbs as I can't function on the traditional low carb thing. I work out for an hour at lunch at curves and do yoga at night (hard core hot yoga) I hike for hours on my days off. I don't want to reduce my calories as it seems like that will just make things worse.

I'm so sad.

Any encouragment would be great.

thanks

stacey

You're doing really great, and with being so close to goal, it's going to be an up and down ride. Can you try the shake things up thing again? Maybe add 50-100 calories a day for say a week, then drop again. You might have already tried that, but that's the only thing I can think of hun. . .

You've done great, maybe your body needs more calories on the days that you're working so hard. Also, have you measured lately, clothes fitting differently? Remember, that even though you might not be losing pounds, a pound a pound be it that it's a pound of fat or muscle. Big difference is that fat is bulky/bump, muscle lean/slim. Do you notice a pattern of gain a little on the days you work out hard, muscles are like 73% Water, and if you are building muscle, you retain water, when we build muscle, it tears down first, and needs water to repair and build good structure. I've lost inches without losing pounds, and have actually gained a few pounds, BUT my clothes fit better.

Hang in there chickee ! ! !

Stacey - I am so sorry that you are struggling so much with this mentally. I know it must be hard to stay positive when you aren't seeing the results. Just try to stay on plan - your body is holding on to everything it has, but it can't continue this forever. The weight WILL come off.

I can't remember - do you have a nutritionist that you can talk to?

This happened to me earlier in the summer. You and I are about the same size, I think. I lost only 1.4 pounds in June, then in July I actually increased my calories a little, added a bit more exercise, and lost 7.8 pounds! The reality is that for us smaller girls, the weight is going to come off slower. But you are still way ahead of me -- I am barely halfway to my goal after almost 5 months, and you are more than halfway after less than four months!

Be of good cheer! It'll happen for both of us! And I challenge you to be happy and not make yourself miserable on the way!

Thanks guys... it really does help to get a little input sometimes. I'm okay with being in a stall so long as its just a stall. I'm so terrified that this is it. Its encouraging to hear that peole come out of stalls sometimes without doing anything different.

thanks

stacey

Sometimes people make comments like, "It's just melting off you - do you even have to work at it?" I do everything I can not to slap them!

I want to say "Do you know how many mornings I've wanted to cry because the scale isn't moving?" And yes, I'm working very hard at it - making lifelong changes in my life and eating.

So, looking back 62 pounds in 6.5 months may seem like it's falling off, but I remember the heartaches. And, these last 6 pounds are driving me insane - I too am playing the down a pound, up a pound, down 2 pounds "game". WE WILL SUCCEED!!!!!

Muscle vs. Fat :: Fitness :: Body Mass Index (BMI)

Muscle vs Fat

When determining your overall health, it’s important to consider your percentage of body fat in proportion to muscle mass. Someone weighing 200 pounds with a body fat percentage of 25 is carrying around 50 pounds of extra fat. That same person weighing 200 pounds with 10 per cent body fat would be carrying around only 20 pounds of fat. This is significant in terms of health, not to mention how exhausting it is to carry around 30 extra pounds of fat. In addition, the person with 50 pounds of fat has only 150 pounds of lean mass to carry that weight, whereas the person with 20 pounds of fat has 180 pounds of lean mass to sustain it. That factor alone will have a dramatic impact on energy level, joint stress and mobility.

Fat takes up more than four times as much space as lean muscle mass. So if you want to reduce your size, then reduce your percentage of body fat. An obvious indicator is your waistline. If your pants are becoming baggy but your weight is not changing too much, you know you are heading in the right direction.

This happened to me earlier in the summer. You and I are about the same size, I think. I lost only 1.4 pounds in June, then in July I actually increased my calories a little, added a bit more exercise, and lost 7.8 pounds! The reality is that for us smaller girls, the weight is going to come off slower. But you are still way ahead of me -- I am barely halfway to my goal after almost 5 months, and you are more than halfway after less than four months!

Be of good cheer! It'll happen for both of us! And I challenge you to be happy and not make yourself miserable on the way!

No nut involved. I get a lot of guidance from this board. Yesterday I forced myself to eat more. Good stuff thats high in calories like avacados and goat cheese. no sugars or simple carbs... I may have eaten 1600=1700 calories (its so weird to have to force myself to eat that much. there was a time I could do that durring one episode of The Office.) I'm going to change up my exercise routine too. Maybe start walking in the mornings to get my fire started early.

I love your challenge... it makes so much sense....

thanks

stacey

Stacey,

I'm going to play the devil's advocate here.

Your goal weight is really low. It isn't surprising to me that you are stalling because you are maybe 5 lbs overweight now. It is possible that your body doesn't want you to be on the low end of the healthy BMI range and that it will be a struggle to get and stay there.

I'm not sure that a BMI of 21 is any healthier than a BMI of 25. Of course I understand your desire for that body size; I secretly want to weigh 120 (BMI 22 I think) even though my goal weight is listed as 135 (BMI 24.7). But I don't know if that desire is the best thing for me or just an reaction to years of being fat. No matter how thin I get, I will never be able to erase the years of suffering, poor body image and ridicule I suffered while being obese.

I'm not presuming you think like this, but because I do sometimes, I want to mention it. Beware of the temptation to believe that life sucks because you are fat (at a BMI of 25.1, you aren't even) and that life will be perfect when you reach that elusive BMI of 21. Tain't so, it's just a fantasy.

You may be able to get to and maintain your desired weight but I'm sure the progress will be very slow because it always is at lower BMIs.

Best of luck, chica.

ahh... lisa lu... what you are writing about is exacty what I'm afraid of. What if my body just doesn't want to go there.

I think I have a pretty good handle on the "life will be perfect when I weigh this much thig" I just really really want to be a thin person.

My body is a little strange right now... I have a tiny little rib cage and bust and fat hanging from my arms abdomen and thighs. Actually... one of my thighs is almost as big around as my bust. The only time I am proportional is when I am thin enough to deplete those reserves that y but and thighs love so much. Even though I'm close to "normal" I am still wearing a 12 to 14 in pants even though I am a 6-8 in tops.

I know that I am healthy...I eat well and exercise alot. It is purly vanity at this point. I just want to wear an 8 in pants... even if I don't reach goal I could be happy with that. As a matter of fact... at my height I don't think I want to wear less than an 8 (okay.... if you forced it on me I would take a 6).

What does our body live off of when we are eating 1000 calories and exercising a lot an not loosing weight:confused:

It doesn't appear that I'm loosing inches either.

stacey

Stacey - I know it is soooo much easier to say than to be living through, but you are doing well. You are right in the middle of the 5-10 pounds per month average weight loss. I've had months where it wasn't hitting those numbers every month , but I am averaging in there.

So ... hang in there. It will get better. Can you NOT get on the scale for a whole month? Take your measurements today & then on September 13th take your measurements and weight? I KNOW you will see a difference. Take the challenge!!!!

Marilyn Monroe was a size 14 and she was sultry, sexy, and beautiful! Don't let the size war get you down. Appreciate how far you have come!! I would do a dance of joy to be in a 14 again!

Hey Stacey,

I'm built almost the opposite of you--big bust, flat white-girl skillet butt. (I do have some healthy thighs though.) I'm not too fond of my body type. I've always found pears much more attractive than apples. If we could just mix and match body parts, one of us would look fabulous while the other was SOL :-).

There are at least a couple reasons I can think of why you could eat 1000 calories, do bikram yoga and still not lose weight. First you just might be in a stall (brilliant, huh?) The second (and more ominous) possibility is that your body may think you are starving. I read a book a while back; I think it was called Rethinking Thin. Some of the studies it cited suggested that when obese people are heavy, they have normal metabolisms. When we lose weight are bodies literally think we are starving and they do everything possible (e.g., lowering our core temperature) to keep us from losing or even make us gain. So John Doe fat person may need 4000 calories a day to maintain a BMI of 45 but only 1000 to maintain a BMI of 25. John-Lucky-SOB-Thin Person may get to eat 2000 to maintain a BMI of 25. This is totally unfair, but it may be how our bodies work.

I hope (for both of us) that the first reason is at play.

Hi Stacey,

what the others have said is great. Basically in your position don't weigh more than once a week and keep hanging in there. It will pass. I have been there. Also confusing your body by upping the caloeies for a few days can shake it out.

Jane x

ahh... lisa lu... what you are writing about is exacty what I'm afraid of. What if my body just doesn't want to go there.

I think I have a pretty good handle on the "life will be perfect when I weigh this much thig" I just really really want to be a thin person.

My body is a little strange right now... I have a tiny little rib cage and bust and fat hanging from my arms abdomen and thighs. Actually... one of my thighs is almost as big around as my bust. The only time I am proportional is when I am thin enough to deplete those reserves that y but and thighs love so much. Even though I'm close to "normal" I am still wearing a 12 to 14 in pants even though I am a 6-8 in tops.

I know that I am healthy...I eat well and exercise alot. It is purly vanity at this point. I just want to wear an 8 in pants... even if I don't reach goal I could be happy with that. As a matter of fact... at my height I don't think I want to wear less than an 8 (okay.... if you forced it on me I would take a 6).

What does our body live off of when we are eating 1000 calories and exercising a lot an not loosing weight:confused:

It doesn't appear that I'm loosing inches either.

stacey

You mention areas "hanging." If that's skin and "empty fat cells" (and since you are exercising, I would have to assume it is) you aren't going to lose that no matter how much you diet and exercise. My DH had 8 lbs of excess skin taken off with his "tummy tuck" and his sister had 16 lbs removed with a procedure to her thighs. That wasn't fat... it was skin and empty fat cells. Fat cells get very large and though the fat comes out of them the cell tissue is still stretched and will even fill with Fluid given the opportunity. Most of us who have been obese will not go back to the lean tight body we may have once had no matter what. surgical interventio can help, but it doesn't put us back to where we were before we reached obesity.

But all that aside. YOU have done an amazing job and your body will improve on it's current look as you continue to exercise, eat right and it settles in.

thans so much you guys.... its so amazing that we have this place for support. Minime... your so right about not weighting. My second month I didn't weigh at all and it was sooo freeing. I just recently got re-addicted to the scale. For my sanity sake I will absolutly take the challenge... no more weighing ofr a month

thanks

stacey